Portable checking counter



Dec. 21, 1948. J. A. DAVENPORT 2,456,817

PORTABLE CHECKING COUNTER Filed Feb. 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR.

Patented Dee. 21, 1948 v PORTABLE CHECKING COUNTER James A. Davenport, Cincinnati;-hio, assignor to The Kroger Grocery & Baking Company,

Cincinnati, Ohio Application February 2, 1946, Serial No. 645,149

4 Claims. (01. 28036) This invention relates to merchandising, and more particularly to selling in self-service stores,

including the equipment employed in such stores.

The invention particularly relates to a combined vehicle and counter for self-service stores, constructed to be used both for the collection and transportation of articles purchased, and also providing a surface on which the articles may be checked by a cashier.

Vehicles of various types, some with shelves or removable baskets, have been employed in selfservice stores for use by the customer in collecting and carrying merchandise. These vehicles are usually pushed by the customer to a cashiers station or checking counter, where they are unloaded either by removing the articles directly from the baskets or containers of the vehicle, or by removing the basket from the vehicle and placing it on the counter and thereafter removing the articles from such basket or container.

When used in this manner ithas been necessary that .the merchandise be handled at least three or four times, namely,

(1) Placing the articles in the basket or container; (2) Placing the basket on the counter; (3) Removing the articles from the basket for checking, and I (4) sacking the articles Self-service stores came into being on account of the desire to increase sales and decrease time and effort in selling and handling. These essentials are still important and improvement thereon is very desirable.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a portable, collection and checking vehicle, the collection portion of the vehicle serving as a checking counter on which the articles are placed by the customer. when they are collected, the vehicle being wheeled to the location of the checker or cashier, whereupon they are placed in bags to be taken out by the customers. The merchandise is therefore handled only twice instead of four times.

It is an object of the invention to facilitate the handling of merchandise in a self-service store by providing equipment for handling articles simply, efliciently, and in the least time possible, with minimum efiort and expense on the part of all concerned, as well as to utilize maximum floor space to the best advantage and accelerate movement of trafilic.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the amount of handling of the merchandise, as

wheels or rollers.

"well as to eliminate the usual checking counte and consequently save a corresponding amount of floor space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable vehicle capable of being used for the collection and-transportation of articles, and as a counter or platform on which the articles may be checked, such counter or platform having a surface of a character to facilitate the segregation' and checking of the articles while not interfering with the collection of the articles. A still further object resides in the provision of an improved package carrier for use in a selfservice grocery store, such carrier being mounted on suitable wheels for movement by the customer and having a single level package receiving compartment of sufi'icient area to receive an entire normal order of groceries, said compartment being adjustable in sizeto render it capable of carrying an entire order without taking up an unnecessary amount of space.

Yet another object resides in the provision of an improved wheel supported package carrier having a single level package receiving compartment, so constructed and arranged that it has ;a high degree of stability and will not normally mobile, package carrier constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2, a top plan view of the package receiving compartment of the carrier illustrated in Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away and shown in section to better illustrate the construction thereof;

- Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view on the line- 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4'of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5, an end view on a somewhat reduced scale of the right hand end of the compartments illustrated in Fig. 2.

With continued reference to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, the improved package carrier comprises a carriage generally indicated at I0 and a package receiving compartment generally indicated at I2.

The carriage is supported upon two pairs of The larger wheels l4 andiii are mounted upon the end portions of a continuous axle I8 which projects beyond the wheels to; the platform and the frame members 88 and 38 respective operative connections with the frame members 28 and 22. The smaller wheels 24 and 28 are mounted in respective casters 28 and 38 secured to extensions 82 and 84 provided on the leg portions 38 and 88 of a continuous U-shaped frame ,member, the leg portions of which are connected by the intermediate portion 48.

The frame member 28 and the leg 38 are pivoted together intermediate their length and constitute one side of a double X frame upon which the compartment I2 is supported. The frame member 22 and the leg 38 Pivotally connected at 42 intermediate their length constitute the other side of the X frame.

The lower ends of the frame members are operatively connected together by means of a pivoted brace generally indicated at 44 and comprising a U-shaped member having legs 48 and 48 and an intermediate connecting portion 58. At the open end of this brace the leg portions are pivotally connected to the frame members 28 and 22 adjacent the connections of the axle I8 with these frame members and intermediate their length the legs of'the brace are pivotally connected at 52 and 54 with respective arms 88 and 88 which project from the respective extensions 32 and 34 toward the wheels I4 and I8. The intermediate connecting portion 58 is preferably somewhat shorter than the distance between the frame members 20 and 22 so that despite the offset shown in the members 48 and 48, there is no appreciable contact between these members and the frame members 28 and 22 when the portion 58 is elevated.

With this construction if the intermediate :por-

tion 58 of the brace is manually raised the lower ends of the frame members 28 and 22 will be moved toward the intermediate portion 48 of the associated frame member and the frame will be folded together in a. manner such that it will occupy the minimum space for storage or shipment.

The intermediate portion 48 of the frame member comprising the legs 38 and 38 is disposed on the side of the caster wheels 24 and 28 remote from the wheels I4 and I8 and at such a level with respect to the axes of the caster wheels that it will strike the floor if the wheels I4 and I8 are raised a, short distance above the floor level. This arrangement effectively prevents tipping of the carriage in the forward direction even though the compartment I2 should be heavily loaded. The wheels I4 and I8 arev so positioned with respect to the area of the compartment I2 that tipping of the carriage to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, is definitely avoided.

At their upper ends the frame members 28 and 22 are pivotally connected to a. transverse rod or bar 88 which secures the upper ends of these members together and reinforces the frame to materially increase the rigidity thereof. The upper ends of the legs 38 and 38 of the corresponding frame member are pivotally connected to the sides of a table or platform 82 adjacent the left hand end of the platform as viewed in Fig. 1. At its opposite or right hand end the platform 82 is provided with downwardly extending lugs or projections, one of which is indicated at 84.

With this arrangement the platform 82 positively spaces the upper ends of the frame members and provides substantial reinforcement therefor. However, when the frame is folded the right hand end of the platform. may be swung and turned to a position in which it lies alongside the folded frame.

The compartment l2 comprises twotelescopically associated tray members 88 and 88. The larger member 88 overlies the upper surface of the table or platform 82 and projects somewhat beyond the right hand end thereof as viewed in Fig. 1. This member is permanently'secured to the table element 82 of the carriage. The tray member 88 fits into the tray member 88 and projects beyond the left hand end thereof as viewed in Fig. 1. The tray member 88 is held in telescopic association with the tray member 88 by suitable means which may comprise grooves 12 and 14 provided in the inner walls of the side members I8 and 18 of the tray member 88 and suitable rollers or pins 88 and 82 secured in the side walls of the tray member 88 and extending respectively into the grooves I2 and I4. In order to render the traymember 88 readily movable with respect to the tray member 88, antifriction means may be provided between the two members. This means may conveniently comprise fourrollers as indicated at 84, 88, 88 and 88. The rollers 84 and 88 are preferably secured to the bottom 82 of the tray member 88 while the rollers 88 and 88 are secured to the bottom 84 of the tray member 88. The two trays may be releasably latched together in retracted position by means of one or more spring-biased pins or detents, as indicated at 88 seated in the bottom 82 of the outer tray member and engageable in grooves or depressions provided in the under surface of the bottom 84 of the inner tray member. .These latching members are so formed that they will be released upon a reasonable force being exerted in a manner to extend the tray member 88 relative to thetray tended is determined by the extent of the grooves I2 and 14.' The ends of the side members I8 and I8 of the outer tray member opposite the end closure 88 are rounded off as indicated at. I88 to provide a smooth surface which will permit rela- Y tive sliding of the two tray members without-'1 danger of material being caught between the two members duringthe relative-movement or the fingers of the customer being inured by these parts of the device. r

In addition to the bottom 84 and side mem-v bers I82 and I84, th inner tray member 88 is provided with an end closure member I88 which may have hand holes I88 and I I8 provided therein for easier manipulation of the slidable tray me shown in Fig.1. Preferably a portion of the bottom 84 in the fruits and vegetable zone is cut-- I away and the space filled in by a suitable grid- I I8 of woven wire, expanded metal or other suitable construction, to provided for drainage of any moisture that may drip from grocery items deposited therein. In the event thatmoisture or upwardly about the pivotal connections between 754liquid may be deposited or collected in the portions of the package carrying compartment-having a solid or continuous bottom wall, openings are provided in the outer tray at the right hand corner thereof as viewed in Fig. 1 and as indicated at H8 and I20 in Figs. 1 and 5. These openings may conveniently be provided by diagonally cutting oi! the corners of the outer tray member after its various components have been assembled together in operative position.

As explained above, the package carrying compartment [2 comprising the tray members 68 and 68 is supported at substantially the height of a conventional grocery checking counter and the compartment is of sufficient size to carry a normal complete order of groceries on a single level. In the retracted or collapsed condition of the two members 66 and 68, the compartment takes up a minimum amount of space but the available area may be readily increased by sliding the tray member 68 outwardly relative to the mem-. ber 66 until sufiicient space has been provided for the particular order. With the various packages thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by thatwhich is shown in the drawing and de-' scribed in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile package container comprising a double X frame forming a carriage, wheels disposed at each end of the frame elements, a top member pivotally secured to one side of said frame and releasably engaged with the other side thereof, a single level package receiving compartment supported by said top member, said compartment comprising a pair of open-ended tray elements disposed in telescopic relationship, and a support element for preventing longitudinal upsetting of the carriage when the compartment is overloaded, said support element comprising a frame element extending transversely between the X frame elements exterior of one of the pairsof wheels and only slightlyabove the ground level, whereby upon tipping of the carriage the frame element will contact the ground and prevent over-turning.

2. A mobile package container comprising; a foldable metal frame, a top member for said frame, and a package receiving compartment of variable capacity mounted on said top member,

age grid adjacent the closed end thereof, and

including also a solid portion, the other tray having a drainage slot near its closed end, whereby moisture from vegetables and fruits placed in the compartment will drain freely from said compartment when said trays .are in either extended or telescoped relationship.

3. A mobile package container comprising: an adjustable package receiving compartment, said compartment comprising a pair of open ended tray elements slidably arranged in telescopic relationship; a carriage which is collapsible in a vertical plane comprising; four elevating members arranged in paired pivotal relationship, wheels mounted on the lower ends of said elevating members, a top member to support said compartment, said top member pivotally mounted at one end to two of said'eievating' members and releasably engaged at the other end with the other two elevating members, whereby said top member and said compartment can be swung into substantial alignment with said frame when said frame is in a collapsed position.

4. A port-able checking counter comprising a carriage, wheels mounted on the underside of said carriage, an adjustable package compartment of variable capacity mounted on said carriage, said compartment comprising two openended trays arranged in telescopic relationship, one of said trays having a solid bottom for receiving dry commodities, the other of said trays being longer than the first tray and having a drain element arranged at its endwise portion whereby said drain element will extend beyond said solid tray and moisture will drain freely from, wet produce placed on said element, even when said trays are in fully telescoped relationship.

JAMES. A. DAVENPORT.'

REFERENCES CI-TED f.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 733,889 Wolfskill July 14, 1903 801,275 Silk Oct. 10, 1905 958,857 Dennis May 24, 1910 1,171,343 Klok Feb. 8, 1916 1,215,240 Becker Feb. 6, 1917 1,286,298 Halliburton Dec. 3, 1918 1,630,279 Stroop et al May 31, 1927 1,858,179 Bay May 10, 1932 1,969,749 Harsh Aug. 14, 1934 2,155,896 Goldman Apr. 25, 1939 2,234,358 Schray Mar. 11, 1941 2,398,863 Sides Apr. 23, 1946 2,407,285 Rubin et al Sept. 10, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 182,631 Great Britain July 13, 1922 243,586 I Great Britain Dec. 3, 1925 354,097

Great Britain Aug. 6, 193-1 

